MAKE Asks: is a weekly column where we ask you, our readers, for responses to maker-related questions. We hope the column sparks interesting conversation and is a way for us to get to know more about each other.

This week’s question: Some of the most buzz in physical computing for the last several months has come from the Raspberry Pi. What projects have you been working on using this board, or what are some things you’ve seen using this powerful prototyping platform?

I haven’t fiddled around with one yet, but so far my favorite project using the Pi has to be Sprite_tm’s Mini MAME cabinet. It brings me back to the handheld arcade games of the 80s, but also boasts an OLED marquee, and a nifty laser-cut design.

In addition to being an online editor for MAKE Magazine, Michael Colombo works in fabrication, electronics, sound design, music production and performance (Yes. All that.) In the past he has also been a childrens’ educator and entertainer, and holds a Masters degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.

I’ve been working on setting up an AirPlay enabled Pi that I can wire into my car with a nano wifi adapter, so I can AirPlay from iOS devices while driving.

Nick Hedberg

You should try xbmc http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Raspberry_Pi. I did a quick proof of concept enabling air play and it worked. There’s a little bit of lag and the transitions between songs is rough, but xbmc is open source so you could work on it.

http://gravatar.com/spinstabilized spinstabilized

I am starting to work on slowly build up my own JARVIS for my workshop based on the Raspberry Pi.

http://www.nehalpatel.com Nehal Pate

I’m working on a dual-use Pi project. Part A) uses a switch, relay, and ssh/web server to allow me to check and open/close my garage door remotely; B) uses motion sensors and a relay to keep pooping animals off my lawn.

A coworker and I are working on a coffee monitoring system, which includes a webcam and several sensors connected to the R-Pi, which communicates via HTTP with our company’s workflow software. The Pi monitors coffee pot temperature and position and sends an email or SMS notification when it thinks there’s a fresh pot of coffee. A webcam provides the opportunity for visual verification of the coffee status.

JonnyH

Hombre! I googled ‘fresh pot’ and think you are doing MORE (touché) than I had considered (project #1 total noob) how goes it?

Are you developing in Python? What challenges have you faced and hopefully overcome? Any tips on where to even start, for an ex-code tinkerer?

I’m waiting for the camera attachment so I can make an autonomous sentry turret that shoots ‘D’ batteries. Until then, I’m playing Pitfall in Stella. :-)

https://bmillerjacobson.wordpress.com Ben Miller-Jacobson

I’ve been working on a wearable computer (coming along nicely) and also on an APRS to Twitter gateway using a cheap TV tuner as a software defined radio. The second project still has a ways to go. http://is.gd/AQKAzd

Trav

I’m working on an in vehicle camera system. A kind of dash cam when driving/motion detecting security cam when parked. I have a wifi dongle so I can communicate with it in my driveway, and have it upload picture/video to my network at home. I would like to find a way for motion software to input GPS info into the picture. I have a GPS dongle that should work,

I am building a webserver that does internet data-mining with Python and saves this data to mySQL for remote access using PHP. Yeah, kind of boring but it sure beats leaving a laptop on 24/7 to do this for me.

I’m working on a talking navigation and monitoring application for walkers, canoeists and sailors. Currently I have a compass, barometer and GPS integrated. The talker uses espeak for TTS and is controlled by a wireless PowerPoint clicker. Progress reports in my blog http://kitwallace.posterous.com/tag/raspberrypi

Jason Gillis

I’m building a 1-wire sensor network to monitor temp, humidity, sunlight, and barometric pressure in the crawlspace, attic and garden. The 1-wire network will be connected to the Pi via an I2C bus.

mixmx

Hello,

Sounds much interesting! Any blog where to follow your progress? Thanks!

Nick Normal

Have you gotten around to documenting this yet? I’d like to see your tech in the garden.

I’m using my Pi as a DVB-t recorder / media server. It has been quite a challenge for me as a non-programmer to follow the excellent guide by http://tandrepires.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/raspberry-pi-openelec-pvr-dvb-t/, but after two weeks of persistance I got it working. Besides that I’m mostly on a quest to find out what the Pi does that the Arduino does not, or how I can combine both platforms.

http://barnabypaulkent.wordpress.com barnabypaulkent

We’ve been building a radio controlled car you can control from your raspberry pi as a fun way of introducing people to programming, you can view our project at http://www.pi-cars.com it’s been great fun!

http://twitter.com/NerdUno Ward Mundy (@NerdUno)

We’ve ported our full-featured Incredible PBX to the Raspberry Pi. It includes Asterisk, FreePBX, Apache, MySQL, and about 40 preconfigured Asterisk applications. It also supports free calling in the U.S. and Canada with any Google Voice number. There’s also a one-click script to turn your Raspberry Pi into a full-featured fax machine. Quick Start Guide and download instructions are available here: http://nerdvittles.com/?p=3026

I’m working on an open source home thermostat that can be controlled from a smartphone or computer. Features include a LCD for temperature display, an array of temperature sensors for super accurate temperature sensing, push buttons for temperature adjustment on the unit and multi zone temperature monitoring. The pi is powered from the furnace and it includes wifi and a nice zero config setup assistant.

Dave

I’d like to make a programmable chime for a large clock I have in my living room. Right now, I have a separate battery powered chiming module in it, but I think it would be cool to have it play changeable, custom songs on the hour, like Christmas songs in December, etc. I am a tinkerer, but have done no programming since Basic and Fortran in high school. So I don’t really have any idea where to start.